Depression is a very common mental health illness characterized by a cluster of signs and symptoms ranging from mood disturbances and sleep or appetite disorders to physical manifestations of the body. The purpose of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of depression and its related factors among Afghan women. A cross-sectional study was conducted among women between July 14, 2021, to August 15, 2021, in Kabul, Mazar-e-Sharif and Samangan provinces (Afghanistan). A total of 664 Afghan women participated in the study (mean age = 28.85 years; SD ± 11.57). In order to assess depression among participants, the 19-item validated Dari version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies–Depression Scale was used. Approximately four-fifths of the sample had depression symptoms (79.1%). Participants with depression symptoms were significantly more likely to (i) be aged over 30 years, (ii) live in rural areas, (iii) have a low-income level, (iv) not have an occupation, (v) have any disease/illness, and (vi) have experienced an event that had mentally affected them in the past month. Considering the high prevalence of depression symptoms among Afghan women, there is a need to integrate mental health services for women in Afghanistan. The use of interventions including regular screening for depression symptoms, and educating women and girls concerning the symptoms of depression for early self-diagnosis are essential.

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Background: The experience of menarche is often horrifying for adolescent girls due to their lack of information on menstruation cycle and menstrual vaginal bleeding. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice about menstruation and menstruation hygiene among secondary school girls in Herat, Afghanistan.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 10th March 2021 to 15th April 2021 among secondary schools’ girls in Herat, Afghanistan to evaluate the secondary school girls’ knowledge on menstruation and menstruation hygiene. Sample size was calculated as 768 girls. Data were evaluated in IBM SPSS program.Results: In this study 53.3% of girls a good knowledge on menstruation and menstruation hygiene. Only 15.9% of girls who did not experienced menarche at the time of this study, has a good knowledge score on menstruation and menstruation hygiene. 32.9% of the participants took rest and may missed their school during menstrual bleeding. Only 2.1% of the participants’ first source of information on menstruation and menstruation hygiene was their teachers. The findings of the study show significant association between the fathers’ educational level and girls’ knowledge of menstruation and menstruation hygiene.Conclusion: Girls knowledge on menstruations and menstruation hygiene was found to be lower than other countries. Awareness campaigns regarding the menstruation and menstruation hygiene are recommended to be conducted. However, it would be better to add a subject for secondary school girls so they can learn more and openly on this matter.